France Has 1,000 Excess Deaths as Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe

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(Bloomberg) — France recorded about 1,000 excess deaths this week because of an “exceptional” heat wave that’s continuing to scorch Europe.

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Record temperatures pushed daily deaths above 1,400 on Thursday and Friday, from 900 to 1,000 per day in April and May, Santé Publique France said in a statement Sunday. The figures are likely to be revised higher because they’re based on digital certificates, which typically account for about 60% of fatalities nationwide, the public health authority said.    

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Of the deaths recorded since Wednesday, 85% were people aged 65 or higher, it said. 

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Record-breaking heat that’s blanketed western Europe for more than a week has strained public health services and disrupted everything from transport to food and energy production. It’s receding in France and sweeping east, with searing temperatures in countries including Germany and Italy.

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“Extreme heat of these past days has a lagged effect, notably for fragile people but also for some young people,” French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said in an interview with La Tribune Dimanche. The effects can persist for weeks for people suffering chronic diseases, which means that pressure on health services is expected to last beyond the drop in temperatures, she said.

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The government recently earmarked €100 million ($114 million) in emergency spending to buy air conditioners, fans and other equipment for hospitals. The number of people who passed away at home climbed in a “particularly marked” way, especially in the Paris region, the French health authority said, while urging solidarity with isolated people including in urban areas.

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Italy is set for its worst day of the heat wave Sunday, with 18 cities including Rome and Milan facing a “red” climate alert, the highest on a scale of four, according to the Health Ministry. Residents have been advised to remain indoors from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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Some events were canceled because of the heat wave, including a concert by the pop singer Loredana Berte, while the Milan Pride Parade on Saturday was postponed until late afternoon.

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In Germany, train operator Deutsche Bahn AG advised against any non-essential travel as the country saw its highest minimum overnight temperature on record of 29.4 degrees Celsius (85 Fahrenheit).

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—With assistance from Tommaso Ebhardt and Libby Cherry.

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